How to write a summary of a diploma thesis and choose keywords?
The abstract is a small model of the entire work. In a few paragraphs, it must present the problem, goal, method, most important results and conclusions, without turning into an introduction or a description of the table of contents. This is often the first fragment read by the reviewer and one of the elements used in the job search.
Key information
- ✓Write a summary only after you have stabilized the entire work.
- ✓Include the problem, goal, method, key result, and conclusion.
- ✓Do not use quotations, footnotes or general declarations.
- ✓Choose keywords from broad to specific.
Five elements of a good summary
The first sentences define the topic or problem, the next ones indicate the purpose and method, then the most important results appear, and the last part contains the main conclusion. The proportions depend on the nature of the work.
Do not list all subsections. The reader needs information about the result, not a description of the document's structure. In theoretical work, instead of a sample and a tool, indicate the scope of the analyzed materials.
Specific and economical language
Use full sentences, without footnotes, quotations or abbreviations that are incomprehensible outside the text. Limit "the topic is extremely important" introductions and replace them with information that shows what the problem is.
Name the result specifically. The phrase "interesting results were obtained" explains nothing. It is better to indicate the most important relationship, difference or category identified in the analysis.
How to choose keywords?
Start with the main concept, add the subject or group of study and relevant context. Avoid slogans that are so broad as "management" or so long that they become an entire sentence.
Check the terms used in the literature and scientific databases. Keywords must be relevant to the content because they help classify the material and find it for people interested in the topic.
English version without changing the meaning
First, refine the Polish version, and only then prepare the translation. Check the names of methods, tools and concepts in the English-language literature of a given discipline.
After translation, compare the sentences in pairs, paying attention to numbers, the direction of the relationship and the scope of the conclusion. Automatic translation requires terminological and linguistic correction.
Summary
The best abstract can be read independently of the entire paper and still understand what was researched, how it was done, and what the result was. Each sentence should provide new information, and the keywords should precisely name the topic and method. Prepare the final version after completing the work, when all data, conclusions and names have been determined.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an abstract and a synopsis?
In practice, universities sometimes use these names interchangeably, and sometimes require two different forms. Always check the volume and content guidelines.
How many words should a summary have?
There is no single value. Often approximately 150 to 300 words are required, or the volume indicated in the university's template.
How many keywords to choose?
Most often, three to six slogans are chosen. They should represent the subject, context, group and possibly the method used.
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